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Tyrese Maxey is coming off one of the best performances that the Kentucky vs. Louisville series has ever seen.
The freshman from Texas racked up a career-high 27 points on 9/14 shooting, including a 4/5 effort from three-point range. The 27 points were the most by any player in the rivalry since Louisville’s Damion Lee recorded 27 on Dec. 26, 2015, as well as the most by a Wildcat in the series since Jodie Meeks had 28 on Jan. 5, 2009.
That earned him the Bluegrass Sports Commission Most Valuable Player award, but it’s not the only honor Maxey is getting because of it.
On Monday, NCAA.com’s Andy Katz named Maxey the Player of the Week.
Kentucky-Louisville was the first game @TyreseMaxey’s father attended in Rupp this season.
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) December 30, 2019
The star freshman dropped an efficient 27pts & earned Player of the Week from @TheAndyKatz! pic.twitter.com/lNGsOR4GZ7
In addition, Maxey won the SEC Freshman of the Week award, though it wasn’t the only SEC honor a Wildcat received.
Junior center Nick Richards had an all-around tremendous performance of his own, including seven-straight points scored in overtime to help Kentucky rally from a 68-65 deficit with about two minutes left in the game. He finished with a double-double at 13 points and 10 boards, which earned him SEC Co-Player of the Week honors. He shared the award with Arkansas’ Isaiah Joe.
This is Richards’ first career SEC honor and Maxey’s second. Maxey won the season’s first SEC Freshman of the Week award after scoring 26 points in the victory over then-No. 1 Michigan State in Madison Square Garden in his college debut.
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